Nut lock



NUT LOCK Fied Sept. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet la' /5' 2 A mvENTo'i` GEORGE R` MICUTA,

ATTORNEYS Jan. 27, 1948. 4 G. R. MlcUTA 2,435,012

, v NUT LOCK Filed Sept. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JIL` WN uw 24 I'NVENTOR GEORGE R. MlcuTA,

ATTO RN EYS Patented Jan. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NUT LOCK George It.y Micuta', Bridgeport, Conn. Application September 28, 1945, Serial No. 619,151

4 Claims. (Cl. 151-25) This invention relates to nut locks, and hasfor one of its objects to improve generally upon devices of this character so as. to simplify and make more practical the structure and at the same time increase the eiiiciency of such devices without detracting from the strength and durability thereof. In my U. S; Patent No; 2,427,684 of September 23, 19.47.,. there is disclosed and claimed a similar nut lock. This patent. was application No. 598,948, led June 12, 1945.

Another Objectis to provide for the application of the-lockingelement to any standard form and kind of nut body'.

A further vobject is to` provide means on the nut body for holding the locking device in either locking or unlocking position;

A still further object is to attain the effect of a predeterminabl'e locking force by the use of locking elements whose spring tension under given conditions is known.

Yet another object is to secure apredeterminable locking force by the provision of lugs whose shoulders, which retain the locking element in its locking and unlocking positions, will determine the amountk of distortion or' tension which the locking element will undergo in the locking operation.

Stillv another object is to provide predeterminable lockingr forces measuredy and determined with.torsion wrenches or other instruments and thus; permit ofi standarization of' suchl devices in the -nut lock. field.V

Other objects; and` advantagesV to be` attained will hereinaftermorefully appear in the following description;

An illustrative buty non-limiting embodiment of' the inventionzis illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure; 1 is, anaend; elevation ofy the nut provided according,- tothe invention'- and applied" to a bolt with the lookingY element` in locking position;

Figure 2f1isf a ViewI in section of thek nutf body and-side elevation of the screw threaded end p ortion: of the. bolti with:l the locking element in lockingposition;

Figure 3 isfa-side:elevationalviewf of the parts Shown in'Figure 2;

Figure* 4: is: a view similar to Figure 3,-. but show-ingi the locking` element in unlocking position;

Figure v5 isy a view:y similar to Figure 110i: a modiiiecl c onstructionfof thefnut bodyftoV accommodate the luckiriaelement. ofthefpresent iniventQri;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view taken at right angles-to the'showing in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary end elevation illustrating the locking element in its normally set condition and in unlocking position on the nut body.

Figure 9 is an end View showing another modification of the .nut structure and locking device;

Figure 10 is-a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11v is aview taken-at right angles to the showing in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an endview of still another modied construction and arrangement;

Figure 13 is a sectional View of the assembly shown in Figure 12; and

Figure 1'4 is a side elevational view at right angles to the showing in Figure 13.

Referring` now to the drawings in detail, the

numeral Il) designates the plain cylindrical body portion of a conventional bolt or the like, the same'having the screw threaded end portion II. Placed on the screw threaded portion Il of the bolt is a nut I2 ofl conventional form except as to provision thereon for the application of the locking device ofthe present invention.

As above stated, the nut body I2 may be of any conventional form. Asshown in the several hereinafter described modifications, it is ofthe hexagonal type. The only change in the nut body structure is the provision of an upstanding lug or lugs, placed so asto give the greatest utility under the conditions for which the nut lock is proposed and to permit the greatest ease of manufacture. In Figures- 1 to 4 there is shown a singlev elongated lugV I3v extending along and slightly inward and adjacent `one of the polygonalvsides of the outer end face of the nut body I2. The opposite ends of this lug I3 are stepped and slightly recessed, as at I4 and I5, the recesses Ili-A being the higher ones and the recesses Ivvbeing the lower ones, and the distance between the higher recesses Illv being narrower than the distance between the lower recesses I5.

The locking element I6l of the present invention in-all modifications, is of a bowed or semi-looped form. In Figures 1 to 4 it is semi-circular or substantially crescent-shaped, and it is made of metal possessing substantial inherent resiliency whereby the-same is form-retentive and reactive withzatendency to assumeits original form after it has been expanded or deformed when it is applie'dirr` use, as will presently more fully appear.

As shown more-clearly'in Figures-3 and 7, the

locking element I6 may be of circular cross section. However, as far as the inventive idea is concerned this cross section may be varied in diierent adaptations of the invention.

Normally, the looking element I6 is of a set form so that it is slightly expanded when its opposite end portions are engaged with the outer, closer associated, slightly recessed shoulders I4 so that the reactive elect of the element I 6 is to clamp and hold upon the shouldered portions I4. This engagement of the element I6 with the shoulders I4 is in the unlocking position of the element, in which position the element is diagonally disposed, as indicated in Figure 4, in which position its curved middle portion I is entered in between the valley of the contiguous threaded 4 20, and the lug I3 provided near the outer margin of said recess 20. In other respects, the nut body structure is the same as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, that is to say, the lug I3' is provided with the corresponding end recessed shouldered portions I4' and I5' which are identical with the corresponding parts I4 and I5 previously described.

Itis clearly apparentthat the two structural modications illustrated in the drawings are substantially identical in the application of the invention, that is to say, as to the form of the locking element and its application to the nut body iiiY engagement with the threaded portion of a bolt portion II of the bolt, but not with bindingeiect. In this position of the locking element, its middle portion has but slight irictional engagementV with the threaded portion of the bolt so that the nut may be turned freely on the threaded' portion ofthebolt, "f 'a f 'i Y ToY Aset thelocking element lin looking position, its opposite outer'end portions are forced downwardly from theA 'outer pair of recessed shoulders YI4 and onto the lower Vpair of recessed shoulders I5 at the ends of the lug I3. This spreads the bend portions of the element IB under tension and at the same time the elect is to force the middle Aportion I1 intotight contact in the valley of the threaded portion of the bolt with 'such holding eiiect that the nut cannot be turned on the threaded portion of thebolt except under very high applied-force, and if such force is applied, mutilation of the threads of the bolt is liable to occur or the locking element I6 become broken, The holding eiect of the locking element 'I6 is at least suiiiciently eiective to hold the nutgagainst movementby vibration or shock. 'To-apply the locking element is` but an easy matter, not only'in the initialV spreading of the end portions of the element to engage the outer shouldered portions I4 of the lug I3, but alsoin forcing the element inwardly into its further eX- panded andnal locking position. This may be accomplished, obviously, byhand or bythe application of' a suitable implement to force the locking element into place.k By the same token, Ythe element V| 6 is as readily removed. Its-preferable to provide the outer ends of the portions of the element I6 which engage the lug VI3 of the nut body with practical means of any suitable iormand arrangement Vto assist in the manipulationgof the element and to function effectively' to preventunintentional displacement of the elementvfrom its selectively set position, either locking or unlocking. As shown, the element is provided with inwardly projected lugs I8 and the ends of the element I6 are extended suciently to' provide ample clearance spaces I9 between said lugs I8 and the adjacent outer end 'face' portions of the lng I3 of the nut body. This space provision I 9 is to facilitate the attachment of the locking element to the end portions I4 and I5 of the nut'body lug' I3 and also to allow for the contraction and expansion of the element I 6 and toaccommodate its tendency to slide bodily inward so that its middle portion I I frictionally engages the threaded portion of the bolt with ample holding effect. 4 While in someadaptations of the inventionthe lug I3may be applied'as a protrustion upon the outer end face ofthe nut body,Y as shown lnFigures 1 to 4, inclusive, it is noted that the end face portion of the nutbody I2 may be recessed, as at or the like, except that in the one case the retaining lug'portion I3 is projected from the normal outergace portion of the nut body, whereas, in the other modication the recess 20 is provided in the nut body for the accommodation of the locking element I6 and the corresponding lug portion I3"Wh'ich` is otherwise identical with the aforesaid lug"portionf|3,"is" provided near the outer margin of the recess 20. In Figures 9,"10 and 1l a A further structural modification is shown somewhat along the general lines of the aforesaid adaptations vof the invention as illustrated in Figures l to 8, inclusive, and 'particularly as to the form of the locking element I6. 'I'hat is to say, the locking element illustrated in Figure 1 and through Figure llis, in each instance, of semi-circularor arcuately bowed form. The only dilference in the present, above noted structure, is that, instead of the elongated continuous lug I3 or I3', as the case may be,`a pair of separate spaced-apart narrow studs or lugs 2| are provided on the outer'endof the nut body I2 adjacent the edge of the corresponding polygonal face of the body. Each of the studs or lugs 2| is stepped at its outer side and slightly notched, as at I4" and I5", in the same manner as the aforesaid stepping and notching I 4, I5, I4 and I5 of the respective elongated continuous lugs I3 and I 3. Otherwise, the application ofthe locking element 6' to the nut body I2 is identically the same as in the first two herein illustrated and described structural modifications.

A still further modication is illustrated in Figures 12, 13 and 14. In this modication, the outer end of the nut body I2 is recessed, as at 20', somewhat similarly to the recessing 20 of the structure shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, but more or less circularly and opened narrowly instead of being opened widely adjacent the margin of the nut body. Also, in this mentioned'modiiication, a single stud or lug 22 is provided at the end of the nut body I2, adjacent the edge of the corresponding polygonal face of the body and at the middle of the recess 20', instead of the aforesaid lugs I3,` I3' and 2|.V vThis stud or lug 22 has arat outer face 23'throu'ghout fromits base to its top, 'and the body of the stud "or'lug is of a substantially semi-circular cross section from top to base, `except that its lower portion is of larger diameter, ,as at 24, and its upper portion 25 is of smaller diameter. In 'other words, the stud or lug 22 is stepped, except at its plain dat outer face, so as to have substantially the same effect on the resilient locking element yas does the4 stepped end formation of theaforesaid lugsl3 and I3' and the later described studs or lugs 2|.Y That is to say, as to the control of the spreading and contraction of the locking element and its holding effect when applied vin use. In this last mentioned modilication the locking element I6' is of a substantially V-shape, having a rounded instead of an abrupt pointed apex portion II' intermediate its inclined leg portions to engage the threads of the bolt I0 similarly as does the intermediate portion I'I of the curved or arcuately bowed element I6. Except as to its difference in shape, the V-shaped element I6 functions substantially like the element I6 and, of course, except as to the difference in the form of the stud or lug 22 from the aforesaid lugs I3, I3 and 2|. Specifically stated, before the locking element I6 is set in locking position when it is spread and engaged with the larger lower portion of the stud or lug 22 as shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14, it is placed at an inclined position, substantially as shown in Figure 4, and at the time is contracted slightly and in engagement with smaller upper portion of the stud or lug 22. It is then forced and sprung into its locking position.

As shown, the ends of the legs of the V-shaped element I6 are turned inwardly, as at I8, like the corresponding parts of the elements I6. In this connection, it is here noted that the Yend formations of the elements I6 and I6' may be varied from the particular form shown, and in some modications the end portions of the elements may be plain and without any especial formation.

It is further noted that while several diierent adaptations of the invention are illustrated in the drawings, other modications are contemplated within the purview of the invention as dened by the append-ed claims. This invention, therefor-e, is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A nut lock wherein the nut body proper is provided with an upstanding lug on an end thereof, and a semi-looped locking element possessing certain inherent resiliency whereby to be spread under tension with its end portions in engagement with the ends of the lug projection on the nut body and with reactive eiect whereby to urge the locking element with its intermediate portion in engagement with the threaded portion of the element to which said body is applied.

2. A nut lock provision as set forth in claim 1, wherein the opposite ends of the upstanding lug on the nut body are respectively formed with stepped shouldered portions, the lineal distance between the outermost stepped portions being narrower than the distance between the innermost stepped portions, whereby the locking element may be engaged and frictionally held by the outermost stepped end portions of the nut body lug without locking effect upon the element upon which the nut is applied, but by movement of the locking element into engagement with the lowermost shouldered portions of the nut body lug the locking element is further tensioned and with reactive effect whereby to urge the locking element with its intermediate portion into engagement with the element to which the nut is applied.

3. A nut locking provision wherein the nut body is provided with an upstanding lug at the outer end thereof adjacent the side margin of the nut body, and a resilient semi-looped locking element having inwardly projected lugs at its opposite ends, said resilient locking element being spreadable under tension in frictional engagement with the adjacent end of the lug on the nut body with reactive effect to cause lineal movement of the end portions of the locking element transversely of the end portions of the nut body lug whereby to urge the intermediate portion of the locking element into engagement with the threaded portion of the element to which the nut is applied, the extreme end portions of the locking element having the inturned lug extensions being projected with the lug portions in spaced relation to the outer face of the nut body lug.

4. A nut lock provision as set forth in claim 3, wherein the opposite end portions of the nut body lug are stepped so as to receive and hold the locking element in both its originally expanded and ineiective locking position and in its further expanded and locking position.

GEORGE R. MICUTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

